France

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These past couple weeks have been amazing. Today is exactly two weeks in France. A lot has happened since then. I feel like I have known my friends here forever and already don’t know what I would do without them!
I started teaching on Monday. I had two classes Monday, where the professor was present and the students all asked me questions about myself. The students in these classes were about 16 and 17 years old, like Junior in high school. I was really intimidated and nervous before I began, but the students are really interested and actually very nice and respectful, at least for now. Let’s hope it stays like this. But anyways, in the two different classes I just talked about myself a lot while they asked me questions about my life, such as life in the United States, if I have brothers and sisters, pets, etc. One student asked me what I think about the election going on in the states. Everyone just LOVES politics here! In the second class I also described the educational system in the United States, since its much different than in France. The girls were obsessed with prom, and wished they could have that here in France. I showed them pictures and they were amazed that it really is ‘just like the movies.’ They asked if we do prom king and queen, but my high school didn’t. I’m not sure if other high school actually does that still. They also love to talk about graduation, because they strangely don’t have that there! Basically when they finish their courses and exams, they are just finished, no big convocation at the end.
I had two classes yesterday, the first one in the morning where these students again asked me questions about myself and I gave a presentation on the education system in America. And again, the girls were fascinated about prom. The second class I taught all alone. It was me and 9 other students at a table. I actually didn’t know that the professor wouldn’t be there so I was a little thrown off. I had them all give brief introductions about themselves and then did an activity where they all had to talk about their past travels and where they would like to go in the future. It was interesting where these French students have visited - but only 2 students out of 4 classes had ever been to the States! After that activity was done, we still have a half an hour, I wasn’t sure how to fill the rest of the time so I had them all talk about their pets, and what they would like to do in the future and if they will study at a university. The last 10 minutes I took out my yearbook and the girls went crazy over it! The whole class, even the boys loved the idea of it and wished they had the same them. The students also love to ask about cheerleaders, since it’s a very traditional and typical American sport. Even in the whole hour the students were really respectful and spoke only a little French the entire time. Their teacher told them I speak “perfect” and “fluent” French, so that they won’t say things that they think I wouldn’t understand.

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